1. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined for 70 points and 14 made three-pointers:Pierce led the initial charge, scoring 14 points in the first quarter. When Pierce went to the bench, Allen took control, sinking four three-pointers in the first half and leading the team with 16 points.

Neither player cooled off at half time, as they scored 11 consecutive points in the second half to extend the Celtics lead to 13 points. Each time the Knicks made a mini-run, either Pierce or Allen was there with a three to stomp it out.

Allen finished the game 8 for 11 from distance, while Pierce made six of his eight three-pointers.

"Our bigs set great screens," Allen said. "We moved the ball around and found the open guy."

With a game-high 38 points, Paul Pierce broke a tie with Kobe Bryant for the most 30-plus games at Madison Square Garden of any active player. Pierce now has eight games of at least thirty points in the Mecca.

2. Rajon Rondo sets Celtics playoff assists record, records sixth playoff triple-double of his career: Rondo's effort Friday night may get overshadowed by the dead-eye shooting of Pierce and Allen, but Rondo delivered the ball in the right place, at the right time, every time.

Rondo recorded 20 assists, many coming on passes to either Pierce or Allen. Previously, Rondo and Bob Cousy shared the Celtics playoff record for assists in a game with 19.

In addition to his floor leadership, Rondo snared 11 rebounds and scored 15 points. The Celtics were unable to push the ball in transition like in Game 2, but they executed brilliantly in the half court.

"We put together a complete four quarters," Rondo said. "We kept it simple. We pretty much ran the same set the entire second half."

3. Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony shot a combined 6 for 24: Amare Stoudemire's return to the court following back spasms that forced him out of Game 2 was supposed to help New York; instead, the Knicks defense suffered tremendously when Stoudemire was on the floor and he managed just seven points and three rebounds.

“I was very ginger. I didn’t really want to draw any contact,” Stoudemire said. “Quick moves weren’t quite there …. It bothered my elevation and driving to the basket."

Anthony was equally ineffective, making just 4 of his 16 shots and committing five turnovers. He did manage 15 points and 11 rebounds, but the Knicks needed another performance like Tuesday night in Boston.

New York now finds itself in a deep, three-game hole, with its most experience postseason player (Chauncey Billups) likely out for Game 4 and Stoudemire clearly hobbled by his back.